Nozomi's Tarot Consultations and Love Shack
by Lemon Fresh Pine-Sol
Summary: Eli constantly overworks herself, and the other former members of µ's are out living their own lives. Meanwhile, Nozomi is stuck at home, unemployed, bored, and desperately lonely, so she must get creative in keeping herself occupied until Eli can cut back on work.
1. It Begins: Gettin Down on Friday

**Chapter 1 - It Begins: Gettin Down on Friday**

Perpetual loneliness was an affliction with which Nozomi was all too familiar. She'd spent most of her childhood being the black sheep, the quiet one, the weird girl, and while she used the copious amounts of alone time to study and master multiple languages and metaphysical subjects, the lack of meaningful human connection gnawed at her. Of course, that was many years ago, and she eventually found love and a sense of belonging in her friend Eli, and then in Otonokizaka's school idol group, µ's.

Now, though, even the days of µ's were far behind. They were grown women now, out living and working and doing their own things… well, everyone except Nozomi, it seemed. Every day, five days a week, Eli took off for work in the morning, leaving Nozomi to herself until dinnertime. And, unlike when she was in high school, she couldn't just call up her friends to hang out on a whim, because they were all working or studying, and some did not even live in the area anymore. Nozomi had taken to calling herself a housewife, which, while technically true, seemed to imply that she spent her days stuck at home by choice.

That wasn't true at all! Nozomi was bored to (occasionally literal) tears!

But today was Friday, and once Eli got home, they'd have the entire weekend to themselves. So Nozomi donned her "wifey apron" (as Rin so enthusiastically dubbed it) and got to work on dinner. If she was going to call herself a housewife, then darn it, she was going to act like one. Besides, she was certain that Eli, who worked so hard and so often, appreciated coming home to a warm meal.

The sun sank, and Nozomi cooked. By 6 o'clock, dinner was ready and Eli was due home any moment. Nozomi decided to send her lover a cheeky text, but just as soon as she hit the send button, she heard the sound of the door being unlocked.

"I'm home, Nozomi!"

Oh, yes! Finally! Nozomi sprang from the sofa to greet her beloved wife with a hearty kiss.

"Elicchi! I missed you."

"I missed you, too! Tonight's our night." Eli spied the meal waiting for them on the table. "You already cooked?"

"Of course I did," said Nozomi. "I thought I might cook before you got home so we could eat and, ah… _settle down_ quicker."

"Right… Well, I'm going to change."

Eli always looked so sharp and professional in her work attire, and womanly, too, with her heels and a tasteful dash of makeup. Nozomi had half a mind to follow her and help her out of those classy clothes, but the dinner she worked so hard on would get cold. Too bad. When Eli returned she looked more herself, wearing a loose pink top and some shorts, and with her hair tied up. Her face was also redder than usual, Nozomi noted with delight.

"Why did you send me a text like that?" Eli asked, her eyes darting this way and that.

"Whatever do you mean?" Nozomi replied sweetly. "You didn't want me to tell you how utterly, desperately hor-"

"Okay, you don't have to repeat it out loud!"

They sat down to eat, and Eli finally made eye contact with Nozomi, her smile sheepish but her eyes burning. That was one of the things Nozomi loved best about her Elicchi – no matter how hard she played the ice queen, no matter how much she pretended to _not_ want it, she always did, in fact, want it, and bad. Theirs was a love of deep familiarity and intimacy, the physical and emotional so fiercely blended, and yet still Eli was _herself_ enough to get flustered at Nozomi's lewd teasing.

"So? How was work today?" Nozomi asked. "Hope you didn't spend too much time with, oh, what was her name? Kasumi?"

"Nozomi!" Eli was instantly offended, and Nozomi almost regretted it for the hurt that flashed across her wife's face. "Nozomi, you know that I would never, ever..."

It was easy to fluster Eli, but it was also just as easy to rile her up and start her on a tirade about just how much she loved Nozomi, how precious she was to her, how their bond was too powerful to ever break. Nozomi loved that about her, too. She smiled at Eli – a real smile, not that typical enigmatic look she usually had going on – until at last the blonde began to trail off.

"It's cute when you declare your love for me," Nozomi finally said.

"Well, I'm just saying..."

Beneath that cool exterior, Nozomi knew there dwelt a sweeter, softer, more sentimental Eli. The pair of them had their fair share of difficulties in expressing themselves, but their long history together allowed them to connect on what Nozomi considered to be a spiritual level. It wasn't her fault that she felt such longing when they were apart; they were fated lovers and cosmic soul mates, after all! So the cards revealed to her many, many moons ago.

The fated lovers had their dinner and shared their usual playful and somewhat-sexually-charged banter, and then settled down to play the old PS2, which Nozomi had dug out of the closet earlier in the week.

"Help me with this boss battle, Elicchi," said Nozomi. "I'm not as good at games like this as you are."

That wasn't true, of course, because Nozomi was ungodly good at most video games, but she liked to give Eli a chance to show off to her. Eli dutifully took the controller and feigned knowledge of the game's mechanics and controls while Nozomi nestled into her side, a content little smile on her lips. There were no greater nights than Friday nights with Elicchi!

"This boss reminds me of you," Nozomi said after a while of watching her wife get virtually pummeled.

"How so?"

"She looks just like you if you were meaner and had guns."

Eli only grumbled in response, partly because she failed to see the resemblance between herself and the boss character, and partly because she didn't actually know how to play this game. After the third total annihilation, she tossed the controller aside in favor of holding her extra-snuggly wife. Nozomi, pleased to be the center of attention now, kissed her, sweetly at first, but all Friday nights began with only sweetness. Tender caresses and feather kisses without fail gave way to raw, aching desire, and Nozomi soon found herself in a critical state of undress beneath Eli's lovely fingers.

When at last both women were spent and satisfied, Nozomi chose to bask in the tingly afterglow on the sofa, while the ever-tidy Eli collected their clothes from the floor and turned off the PS2. Making love to the music of a forgotten video game was actually quite common, to the point that Nozomi hardly noticed the mood-breaking tunes anymore. She watched her wife with quiet interest, and not just because her bottom was on full display every time she bent over.

"I love you, Elicchi."

Eli looked back at her, seemingly surprised at the sudden declaration, but then replied, "I love you, too, Nozomi."

"And..." Oh, they'd had this argument so many times, and Nozomi was sick of it, but she was sicker of not having her wonderful wife by her side. "I miss you so much when you're at work. I want you home more often."

"We've been over this," Eli mumbled as she deposited their clothes into a basket. "I have to work, Nozomi. We're lucky I even make enough for us to live like this… I wish I could be home, too, but I don't have a choice."

"That's the excuse my parents always used, too," Nozomi shot back before she could temper her tone.

"Nozomi..."

"...Being alone in this empty apartment all day reminds me of the days before I met you," Nozomi said. She suddenly became aware of just how exposed she was, and hugged a pillow to her chest to conceal her bare body. "You don't understand how bad that makes me feel, Eli. I _know_ you have to work. But you don't have to work as much as you do!"

Eli returned to the sofa, clearly struggling to formulate an appropriate reply. "Everything I do is for you, Nozomi," she finally managed.

"Then _please_ stop working so much overtime," Nozomi said. "If everything you do is for me, then… you should think about my feelings, too. Just because we're married doesn't mean I don't still get lonely sometimes."

Eli looked away and chewed her lip. Nozomi, ever a veteran at reading her wife's body language, recognized this as Eli's way of saying, "You're right, and now I don't know what to say."

Heavy silence hung between them as they redressed and tidied up the apartment. In some ways Nozomi regretted bringing it up again, but some things just have to be said. She'd kept silent about so many important things in her life, but her relationship with Eli wasn't about to be one of them.

"Um, I'll take care of the dishes," said Eli in a fake-cheery tone, probably hoping to lighten the mood.

"Alright. I'm going to bed."

Nozomi settled into the bed and closed her eyes, listening to the racket Eli was making with the dishes. She did not sleep, but instead waited for her to finish up and come to bed, because she knew Eli made it a point to never sleep before first making up. So it did not surprise her at all when the kitchen quieted and Eli slid into the bed shortly afterward, pressed her body into Nozomi's back, and let her lips flutter across her neck.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist my charm," Nozomi said. She wore a smug smile meant to fluster Eli as she turned over to face her. The truth, though, was that it was she who couldn't resist Eli's charm. She was still upset at the long-term situation, but she felt her immediate anger at her wife melting away with every one of those gentle little kisses.

"I'm really sorry, Nozomi!" Eli's voice was so desperate as to be adorable. "I swear I'm not trying to hurt you on purpose! It's just… my job… and my boss… Look, I promise I'll try to cut back, okay? I just… I'll just have to convince him."

"Convince yourself, too, while you're at it," Nozomi replied, and flashed her tongue at Eli.

"Nozomi!"

Eli grabbed her and rolled on top of her, and Nozomi couldn't hold back a giggle. That was that.

* * *

Nozomi woke hoping to catch Eli still sleeping. She always looked so beautifully serene when she was asleep, a reminder that pure, sweet Eli was still there beneath the stressed-out, workaholic version. This morning, though, Eli was already awake, and apparently perusing the internet. Nozomi scooted closer and peered at the screen with sleepy eyes.

"Hm. Isn't it a bit early for porn, Elicchi?"

"W-what?! No!" Eli practically shoved the laptop in Nozomi's face. "I'm just looking at, you know, local listings!"

Yeah, right. Nozomi sat upright and took a clearer look at the laptop, and… lo and behold, Eli was telling the truth.

"Job listings?"

Eli nodded. "I thought I might look around a bit. Just in case things don't work out at my current job..."

So Eli _had_ taken her words to heart. Nozomi could at least be hopeful now that she might have more time with her soon, and keep that lifelong demon of loneliness at bay. She leaned into Eli and rested her head on her shoulder, content to bask in the loveliness of her wife until, of course, she was so rudely interrupted by her ringing phone. Eli was closer, so she checked it for her.

"Oh, it's Rin. You better answer." She handed the phone off to Nozomi.

"Give it here. Hello?"

"Nozomi-chaaan. It's Rin!"

"I can hear that!" Nozomi said. "Everything alright? How's Hanayo?"

"More than alright!" Rin said. "Our baby girl was born early this morning! We went in so late last night, so I'm only just now calling everyone. I didn't wanna wake anybody up!"

"That's wonderful news! Eli and I will stop by shortly, okay? Text me your room number."

Eli must have sensed the excitement, because she hovered nearby Nozomi's head, straining to hear Rin through the phone. It's not like she didn't know what happened; rather, she just wanted to hear Rin say it. Nozomi grabbed her shoulder, bidding her to be patient until the call was over. When it was, Eli clapped her hands together.

"We're going to visit the baby, then?"

Nozomi beamed. "Yes! Come on, let's get dressed. We can grab breakfast on the way!"

And that was how Nozomi's Saturday morning began – not with a bonus round of face-to-crotch, as many Saturdays do, but with a brand-new bundle of joy that, unbeknownst to Nozomi now, would end up causing quite a stir in the coming weeks. Exactly how shall soon become apparent.


	2. Hickory Dickory Dock

**Chapter 2 - Hickory Dickory Dock**

If Nozomi's relationship with Eli was an old and deep and intimate one, then Rin and Hanayo's was something straight out of a fairytale. Theirs was the sort that didn't require words, not _really_ , and even the monotonous, the mundane, the everyday was a testament to and an expression of their lifelong bond. Thus no one was surprised when they married fresh out of high school, and then adopted their first child a year out of college. There was such an intuitive _rightness_ to it that not even Honoka was shocked (in contrast, she screamed upon learning that Nozomi and Eli were engaged). Nozomi sometimes envied their effortless intimacy, but she was the type who believed that all was just as it was meant to be, and so she and Eli were as they were meant to be, too.

It took a half hour by train to reach the hospital, which was nearby to Otonokizaka High. Nozomi spent the trip with her fingers happily entwined with Eli's, and when familiar scenery began to pass them by, it gave her a nostalgic feeling.

"Elicchi… Darling wife… Eli-belly-"

"Don't say that."

Nozomi giggled and gave Eli's hand a squeeze. "Let's stop at our parfait place before we go home today."

Umi was already at the hospital, and Kotori, and Nico, so the room was packed and buzzing when Nozomi and Eli arrived. Rin twirled and pranced about on feet made light with unbridled joy, and her toddler daughter mimicked her as best she could on her unsteady young legs. Kotori and Umi perched on the bed with Hanayo and the new baby, while Nico posed nearby taking selfies.

"No'mi!"

The little girl tackled Nozomi on sight and clung to her skirt, babbling as babies do in a language only her parents understood. Nozomi scooped the little thing up and kissed her cheek like a true well-loved auntie should.

"Minako! How pretty you look today!" she said. "I heard you got a new baby sister! Is that right?"

Rin bounded over in much the same manner as her daughter and caught both Nozomi and Eli in a classic Rin-style hug. A giddiness welled in Nozomi's heart at seeing her friends so happy, and all in one place, too. It was inevitable that some of them would be missing – Maki for work and Honoka for travel – but such was life, and a gathering like this, once an everyday occurrence, was a rare treat.

"You made it!" cried Rin. She wasted no time in pulling the couple over to the bed. "Come on, come look at my baby!"

The tiny baby girl, swaddled and safe in Hanayo's arms, watched the women in between slow, sleepy blinks. Neither Nozomi nor Eli spent much time with babies, now or in the past, so both were astounded at the sheer _smallness_ and helplessness the little bundle exuded.

"I've been wondering this, and you don't have to answer if it's too personal," said Umi, "but… How did you two decide who was going to carry the baby?"

"Well..." Hanayo looked a little uncomfortable with that question. "Actually, we… Um-"

"We played Rock Paper Scissors!" Rin said.

"W-what?! No way!" Umi turned to Hanayo. "That can't be true, right?"

"...It- It is true! We played Rock Paper Scissors, and I lost!"

Kotori burst into giggles at Umi's horrified expression, and laughter soon took hold of everyone present. Umi was always a prudent, sensible girl, so hearing that her friends made a major decision with such a frivolous method as Rock Paper Scissors understandably stunned her. And yet, it was so typically _Rin_ that Nozomi expected no less. When at last Umi regained her composure and everyone else was able to contain their merriment, Hanayo turned to Eli, who was gazing huge-eyed at the baby again.

"Do you want to hold her?"

She passed the baby to Eli, who proceeded to hold her with an anxious, almost clinical stiffness.

"Khorosho…!"

"Come on, have you really never held a baby before, Eli?" Nico snickered. "Look, just hold her like this."

Nozomi felt a peculiar longing bubbling up inside her at the sight of Eli so delicately cradling the child. It was her age, she supposed; the inescapable ticking of the biological clock. Rin and Hanayo were quick to answer nature's most pressing call, and were doing a wonderful job of it, but Nozomi and Eli had not shared so much as a passing comment on the subject. She wondered if Eli felt the same pangs now.

"Rin, Hanayo, what did you decide to name her?" Nozomi asked.

"Her name is Rinko!" Rin declared proudly.

"Rinko…?" Nozomi giggled. "I see. Then how about I pull a birthday card for little Rinko?"

"Yes, please!"

Nozomi placed little Minako on the bed with her mother and dug her tarot deck out of her purse. Her friends watched, mesmerized, as Nozomi shuffled the cards quickly and expertly. She'd spent much time as a child learning to shuffle efficiently, to the point now that the shuffling was just as much a part of the show as the reading itself. Finally, when she felt the energy of her deck was just right, she drew a card…

"Ah, the Fool!"

Hanayo looked a little disappointed. "The Fool?!"

"Don't let the name of the card fool you," said Nozomi. "This is a card of endless possibilities! Dreams of all sorts are in this baby's grasp! All Rinko needs is a little guidance… from you and Rin, of course!"

All were pleased with this prediction.

After they left the hospital, Nozomi and Eli made their way to their favorite cafe for parfaits. The mood was light and cheery, and they swung their hands between them like schoolgirls. It reminded Nozomi of all those afternoons spent together with Eli in high school, and she just knew that her past self's heart would throb if she knew that the two of them would still share days like that more than a decade later.

"Their baby was so cute," said Nozomi once they'd settled down at their usual table. "Don't you think it'd be sweet to have one of our own, Elicchi?"

"...You thought so, too, huh?" The barely-visible blush that colored Eli's cheeks was divine. "But we can't really afford to have a child right now. Rin and Hanayo were lucky in that regard."

"It's too bad," said Nozomi. "If you were a man we could just go home and make one. For free!"

"N-Nozomi! Don't just say stuff like that in public!" Eli cried. "And why do I have to be the man?"

Nozomi raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "Oh?! Would Elicchi prefer I be her big, strong man?"

"No!"

Elicchi reached across the table to grasp Nozomi's hand and run her thumb over her wedding band. Nozomi's giggles faded away when she saw what an earnest expression Eli was wearing. Eli had been casting those tender looks at her since before they were even close to being married, and still they managed to get her heart thumping. She squeezed Eli's hand back.

"Elicchi?"

"Have you thought about looking for a job out here again?" Eli kissed her fingers, quite a bold move for a public place. "Rin could get you in the door, I bet. With that extra income we could save for a few years, and then maybe..."

So Eli was serious about a child. "Well, I've thought about it, but..." She hadn't thought about it at all, actually. She remembered her hard-earned degree, now stuffed in the bedroom closet with other old documents and long-forgotten things. Her degree wasn't forgotten, of course; hardly so. It loomed over her every time Eli stayed late into the evening at work, and every time a potential dinner date seemed like too much of a hit to their bank account, and especially when she and Eli fought over work and finances.

She'd filled out countless job applications, but every time she would close out before hitting send, or she would refuse the calls of a potential employer. She was acutely aware that she was slamming the door on so many bountiful career opportunities, but, she figured, her coworkers probably wouldn't like her anyway, and she'd more than likely eat lunch alone. A whole lot could go wrong. She was better off at home with Elicchi, who always pulled them through.

"I think it'd be good for you, too," Eli said. "You could make new friends! I know you get lonely without me and the other girls. Will you think about it?"

"I..." The discouragement was already brewing in her tummy. "I will, Elicchi."

The train home was running a bit late, so Eli scrolled through the news on her phone, while Nozomi perused the bulletin board set up at the station. There wasn't much of interest to her; it was mostly ads for local restaurants she'd already tried, or real estate, or flyers for lost and found pets. She turned to join Eli on the bench, but something compelled her to give the board one last look, and so, not being one to ignore her intuition, she did.

A loose flyer fluttered to the ground just then, and revealed the ad posted beneath it for a local club gathering. Cute clipart of lilies adorned the center text.

"Lily White?"

Nozomi, startled, pulled the ad free and showed it to Eli.

"Elicchi, look! This club is called Lily White!"

Eli peered at the paper. "'Lily White Club for Women of All Ages?' ...Hmm, that's a pretty weird coincidence, isn't it?"

Nozomi tucked the ad into her purse and pulled Eli from the bench. "I think it's a sign," she said. Nozomi was not a believer in coincidences, only the unpredictable twists and turns of fate, and so this was undoubtedly a nudge from the spirits in the right direction. "Let's catch a later train home, okay? I think we should go and pray at the old shrine."


	3. With a Few Good Friends & a Stick or Two

**Chapter 3 - With a Few Good Friends and a Stick or Two**

Nozomi's Sunday began and ended in the same way – with Eli's head between her legs. It was a tradition of sorts, with the morning session meant to hail the last day of the weekend, and the evening session serving as a "last hurrah" before Eli left for work the following morning. Sometimes, if she was feeling wifey enough, Nozomi would get up early and make Eli's breakfast on work days, but this was not one of those times. Actually, she did not even hear Eli leave, and slept until nearly noon.

That was one of the few perks of unemployment. Very rarely did Nozomi have to bother with alarms, and even when she did, she could at least console herself with the knowledge that tomorrow she could sleep in again. And the next day. And the day after that.

Lucky for Nozomi, despite her late start, she was still right on time to attend the Lily White Club for Women of All Ages meeting today. She agonized for a while in front of the mirror, fretting with her hair and her clothes and her makeup. She wasn't actually certain what sort of club it really was, as the flyer had very little information, and over- or under-dressing might draw some unwanted attention to her. In the end, she decided to pull her hair into her favorite braid and go for the "sharp casual" look, as though she was meeting Elicchi for a lunch date.

The train ride back to her old neighborhood was dreadfully boring without a certain blonde woman there to chat and cuddle with, so Nozomi contented herself with listening to some old µ's tunes and drowning herself in nostalgia. It was sweet to revisit their songs, to hear the passion and the sincerity in their young voices. Nozomi sometimes wished that µ's could have stayed together and gone on to become a professional idol sensation, but the naive dreams of adolescents tend to have a way of not working out.

When Nozomi at last arrived at the club address, she recognized the building as the old location of a cute little restaurant she and Eli had visited for a couple dinner dates several years ago. The food was nothing to write home about, and that, she supposed, was why it was now a women's club building. The door was unlocked, so, after taking a few deep breaths to soothe her nerves, Nozomi stepped inside.

The interior was decorated rather like a home, complete with sofas and tables and vases of pretty flowers. The club was also true to its name, it seemed, as there were women ranging from fresh out of high school to little old grannies all gathered round and chatting so casually that Nozomi felt like an intruder. When their eyes found her, their stares weren't unkind, but Nozomi was unfortunately a master at overanalyzing the gazes of strangers.

"H-hello," she said, dismayed that her mouth was suddenly so dry. "I'm here because I saw a flyer, and..."

A girl of perhaps 18 with black hair and a demeanor much like Rin's rose to greet her. "Welcome!" she said. "We're glad you decided to check out our club. Please, come join us! We don't bite!" She patted the spot on the sofa beside her. "Ladies, let's make her feel welcome!"

Nozomi did not want to sit so close so soon, but everyone was now staring expectantly at her, so she lowered herself down onto the cushion and hoped she didn't look too stiff. The woman who was speaking before Nozomi interrupted continued on with her story, and most of the other women returned their attention to her.

"What's your name?" another woman asked in a grating American accent. "I just joined this club, too! My husband works a lot, so I wanted something to do during the day. My name's Jill!"

"Ayase Nozomi," replied Nozomi. "I joined for similar reasons. Gets a bit boring just sitting around the house all day, and my friends are busy more often than not."

"Ohh, so you're like a housewife, too!" Jill said. "What does your husband do for work?"

Nozomi started a little at the word "husband." She hadn't expected such a question, and she hadn't the slightest idea how Jill or the others might react to her marriage to another woman. "Ah, erm, my husband..." She cleared her throat. "My… My spouse works at the corporate office for a hotel chain."

"A hotel chain? That sounds fancy!" Jill's eyes sparkled like a schoolgirl's. "I bet you live a pretty spoiled life, then, huh? Do you have children? I have two! If yours are around the same age, maybe they could play together!"

Jill's enthusiasm reminded Nozomi of Honoka. Perhaps she needed a dash of Honoka-style zest in her life right now, and the birth of Rin and Hanayo's child was but the first step in getting her there. "No children just yet," she said. "Maybe in a few years, but we still have other things to consider..."

"The future's never certain," said Jill. "Children are such a blessing, I don't know where I'd be without mine! The best time to take the plunge is right now!"

The girl who first welcomed Nozomi butted in. "Jill! Don't be so pushy! We just met Nozomi, we don't know her life, you can't just tell her what to do like that!" She turned to Nozomi, looking utterly apologetic. "Sorry about her, she's just very passionate about her lifestyle. My name's Sachi, you can always call on me to protect you from Jill!"

Nozomi smiled and shook her head. "Oh, it's alright, I understand. It's nice to meet you both. By the way, I was curious about the name of the club. Any reason why it's called Lily White?"

"Oh, that!" Sachi looked a little sheepish. "Actually, my friend is the founder of the club. When we were little kids, school idols were really popular around here. She named the club after our favorite group from back then, and said she wanted it to be a club as inspirational to others as the group was to her… Wait, what did you say your family name was again?"

Oh, fuck. Nozomi just came here to meet people and make friends, not cause a scene by being a celebrity. "It's..."

"I think she said it was Ayase!" said Jill. "Right, Nozomi?"

"...Yes."

Sachi's change in expression from friendly to awestruck was nigh-instantaneous, and Nozomi at once regretted revealing her full name. The younger girl leaned forward, her voice hushed with wonder. "You're Toujou Nozomi! From µ's, and lily white! And you married Ayase Eli… Oh my goodness! Just wait till Yui gets here!"

Some of the other women must have caught wind of the excitement, because Nozomi now found their probing eyes on her. She self-consciously smoothed her skirt and avoided any eye contact. "No, please, I don't want this," she said. "I was an idol in my high school days, but really, I'm just a normal woman now who does normal woman things! You don't have to treat me like some kind of goddess..."

Sachi looked away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't mean for it to be like that. It's just, well, I didn't expect to meet one of my childhood idols here! We, uh, used to pretend to be school idols when we were little, and we even tried to be real ones when we got older. It didn't really work out for us, but µ's at least inspired us to try. So, um..."

Nozomi's expression softened. "I see. Well, I'm glad we were able to touch so many girls just doing what we loved. µ's was a big part of my life, too." There was still an air of tension in the room, so Nozomi retrieved her trusty tarot deck from her purse. She could always count on it to help her break the ice. "Sooo... Who's up for some fortunes?"

* * *

At the end of the day, Nozomi found that she had no reason to be nervous about the club meeting. Everyone was kind and welcoming once it was established that she did not, in fact, want any excess attention due to her status as an ex-school idol and member of the unit that was the club's namesake. She gave several women tarot readings (most asked about their love life), and later one of the older members shared her family's recipe for honey cookies, and they made some in the club kitchen. Nozomi didn't see herself becoming friends with all of the members, but Sachi and Jill were good women, she decided, and they exchanged numbers before heading home.

When she stepped back into the apartment, Eli's shoes by the door and the sound and smell of sizzling meat surprised her. She kicked off her own shoes and headed around the corner to the kitchen, where she found Eli dressed in the "wifey apron" and frying up something delicious.

"Elicchi! You're home early!"

Eli turned to face her, and the proud smile she wore made Nozomi's heart leap. "Of course I am!" she said. "I promised you I would, right?" She stepped briefly away from her cooking to embrace Nozomi and give her a cute peck. "How was that Lily White club? Make any new friends?"

"Oh, you won't believe it," said Nozomi. "The club was actually named after lily white. My group with Umi and Rin."

"No way!"

"Yes way! Apparently the club founder loved µ's when she was a child," Nozomi laughed. "I was so surprised! But besides that, I did swap numbers with a couple of the ladies there. One is the club founder's friend who just graduated high school, and the other is an American mother around our age."

"I'm happy for you, babe." The meat was looking tender and ready, so Eli moved the pan away from the hot burner. "I'll do my best to make it home as early as I can, like today. I don't know if I'll be able to do it all the time, but I'm glad you've got some more friends now to keep you company while I'm gone!"

The two women sat down to eat Elicchi's surprise dinner, and Nozomi was reminded that Eli really was quite the cook when she actually had time to do so. Eli chose to forego her usual spot across the table from Nozomi, and instead sat right next to her, closer than anyone really ought to be during a meal. She was acting so cute, though, so Nozomi played along and raised a piece of the pork to Eli's lips.

"Say ahh."

"Ahh."

Eli chomped down on the pork with such an adorable face that Nozomi thought she might die. But this was all a little suspicious, so she withheld any more of those tender morsels until she got answers.

"Elicchi, you're acting _awfully_ sweet tonight."

"Sure I am," said Eli. "I'm home with my beautiful wife, and she seems to love the special dinner I made just for her!" She pulled Nozomi forward as though she meant to kiss her, but Nozomi turned her head away.

"Oh, I don't know," said Nozomi. "I think you're hiding something. You trying to butter me up? Tell the truth."

Eli's ashamed silence and burning cheeks gave her away, but even that looked cute to Nozomi. She leaned close to her blonde wife, arching her back and puffing out her chest so that her breasts were on seductive display. Elicchi rested her hands on the tempting lumps as she confessed.

"I may or may not have gotten you a job..."

"W-what?!"

"It's true," Eli continued. "I talked to Rin about it today, and she called the principal at her school. I told them you'd call them about it tomorrow..."

"Eli!"

Getting a potential interview lined up was a good thing, yes, but Eli did not even consult Nozomi, and that is what upset her. Of course, Nozomi knew full well that had Eli decided to discuss it with her beforehand, she would have come up with every excuse in the book not to take the opportunity. Such was her shame, and she had no right to be angry with well-meaning Eli.

"Promise you'll call the school tomorrow?" Eli drew Nozomi close and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll hold your hand if you're scared."

Nozomi entwined her fingers with Eli's and pouted like a child. "Only for you, Elicchi," she said. "I just wish you didn't go behind my back."

"It'll be healthy for you," said Eli. "I know you get nervous about doing new things and meeting new people. But I just hate seeing you stay home all day and get more and more anxious. Rin will be there with you, too, so it won't be all strangers. I know you have it in you, Nozomi. Remember your student teaching days?"

"I remember." Her stress levels were through the roof in those days, but the eager faces of the children she taught, as well as Elicchi's late-night kisses, saw her through, and she cried when she got her certification. Anxiety and uncertainty fluttered in her tummy now, and she buried her face in the crook of Eli's neck. "I'll call them."

"Good." Eli gave her a nuzzle and then gently pulled away. "Now let's hurry up and finish eating before the food gets cold!"

Nozomi couldn't fault Eli; she only wanted what was best for Nozomi, and always had. That was her Elicchi – her protector, her rock, the ever-solid foundation upon which her life since high school was built. Of course, back then, it was Nozomi who pushed Eli into something she feared, because Eli was too blinded by the past to see the light of the future that was µ's. She supposed this was simply Eli's way of returning the favor.

The sharp buzz of an incoming text woke Nozomi from a nap she didn't realize she was taking. She glanced over at Eli, who was also fast asleep and drooling while the (decidedly boring) movie they'd picked still played softly. Nozomi felt a twinge of dread at checking her phone, lest it was Rin asking about the teaching job. After a deep breath, she looked anyway, and it was Jill texting her in complete hiragana.

 **Jill:** _Do you and your husband want to meet us for dinner Friday night? We will pay_

 **Nozomi:** _Of course! Drinks, too? I have a feeling I'm going to need some._

 **Jill:** _Drinks too!_

She'd hold Jill to that. But if she wanted those Friday night cocktails, she'd first have to make it through the Tuesday morning phone call.


End file.
